New York Guard, the state's volunteer defense force, invites press to attend training at Camp Smith on Sept. 20

MEDIA ADVISORY

CAMP SMITH TRAINING SITE, CORTLANDT MANOR, N.Y. (09/19/2019) — Members of the press are invited to visit Camp Smith Training Site and observe members of the New York Guard, the state's volunteer self-defense force, conducting chainsaw training as part of their week-long annual training at Camp Smith Training Site which concludes this weekeend.

WHO: Members of the New York Guard conducting annual training.

WHAT: Chainsaw, generator and communications training

WHEN: Friday, September 20 at 10 a.m.

WHERE: Camp Smith Training Site, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.

Media Opportunity: Visuals of chainsaw operators and instruction to NY Guard members. Interviews with participants. News reporters wanting access to this military facility must contact New York Guard Capt. Mark Getman, 516-644-9743.

Background

The New York Guard is a force of approximately 500 uniformed volunteers who augment and assist the New York National Guard during state emergencies.

They are paid for their service only when they are activated by the Governor of the State of New York. Their training is in an unpaid volunteer basis.

Training this year will focus on tasks related to those individual skills needed during disaster response - i.e., chainsaw, generator, water pump, forklift, bobcat, communications, logistical requests, and command and control procedures.

Unlike members of the New York National Guard, New York Guard members do not have a federal military role and respond only to the orders of the governor.

Many members of the New York Guard have served in the federal military or have National Guard and/or Reserve service backgrounds. While these veterans bring a wealth of emergency management "skill sets" to the force, previous military membership is not a requirement to enlist in the New York Guard.

The New York Guard was established during World War I to handle domestic security missions when the entire New York National Guard was deployed in France. The organization was reborn again in World War II when the New York National Guard was sent to Europe and the Pacific.

Since then the New York Guard has existed as a force to augment the New York National Guard, and members are involved in supporting all National Guard responses to weather or other emergencies. Over four hundred New York Guardsman participated in post Sept. 11 attack support operations. Most recently, New York Guard volunteers supported operations responding to flooding along Lake Ontario this summer.

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